1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to an image formation device simulation apparatus for performing a simulation of processing performed by an image formation device, an image formation device simulation method and a program product therefor.
2. Related Art
Presently, various models of an image formation device such as a printer or a copying machine are commercially available, and consumable items of kinds or prices different by a type of the image formation device are used. Also, even when the same image is formed, the amount of consumption of the consumable item may vary by the kind of the image formation device. As a result of the above, performing cost at the time of use or a life of the consumable item also varies by the kind of the image formation device. Therefore, in the case of buying an image formation device, a user normally selects the image formation device by, for example, comparing plural image formation devices with respect to cost or a life of the consumable item by examining information released by catalogues previously.
However, the information released by catalogues of the image formation devices only shows information about running cost of the case of being used under a certain condition generally. Also, in the technique of the conventional example, performing cost or the amount of consumption of a consumable item cannot be known unless image formation processing is continued using an image formation device actually. As a result of that, for example, when a user frequently outputs image data of a particular format, the user cannot know the amount of consumption of the consumable item of the image formation device in a use form of the actual user until the image formation device is bought and used.